You are here

I just have to share this....

CypressCynthia

Posts: 4014
Joined: Oct 2009

Feb 22, 2011 - 8:28 am

Avastin is now being used to treat retinopathy of prematurity. This is the condition that causes blindness in extremely premature infants. Their eye vessels grow too fast and tortuously and can detach their retinas. This is usally treated fairly effectively with laser surgery. But now, some brilliant person has discovered that 1 injection of avastin treats this condition more effectively than laser surgery. Somehow, it makes me smile to think that my premies are benefitting from one of our therapies. I'll send the link later--rushing to work!

It makes me smile to think that anyone can benefit from our treatments, but especially those little babies struggling to make it in this world. I always wonder about the people who think "maybe we'll try a cancer medicine for this"...

comes from treatment. I don't know if you know it or not but they also use Avastin to treat macular degeneration. My mother has been having the injections for about 2 yrs. She gets one every 6 to 8 weeks. If it were not for this she would probably have lost her vision by now. When her dr. told us about the treatment he said that they had discovered by accident that the vision of cancer patients improved when being treated with Avastin.

oh that is so awesome. glad to know that Avastin is helping. Dr. Folkman who pioneered this drug was a doctor at my hospital. I always felt bad because he died suddenly of a heart attack and he would have been in line for a Nobel prize, but it is not awarded posthumously. He was such a good man.

The content on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition. Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions.